


Showcase

by himawaridreams



Category: fault (Visual Novels)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Future Fic, Modeling, Resolved Sexual Tension, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-07-25 10:19:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16195553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himawaridreams/pseuds/himawaridreams
Summary: Selphine talks Rune into modeling for Ritona, which soon escalates into something more.





	Showcase

**Author's Note:**

> ...So. I would like to preface this fic with the disclaimer that I'm not responsible for anyone's sanity slippage after reading this hot mess; therefore, please do not press charges against me. Also, I would greatly appreciate no one looking me in the eyes after they read this. Thank you for your cooperation~ :^)

When Ritona thought she was going to be invited for a fun weekend out, this was not the plan. On the contrary, actually.

“Heeeey, why don’t we duck into this cute boutique, guys~!? I’ve heard lots of people have put a good word in for it!” Selphine gushed with the contagious enthusiasm of a retail sales clerk, sure to reel anyone in.

Ritona suppressed a scoff, knowing full well that “lots of people” translated to just one person: Flora. Not wanting to sour the mood, however, she let her fanciful friend carry on with her charade.

“All right, I’ll trust your judgment, Selphine. Why don’t you lead the way?” Ritona permitted, the ghost of a smile flickering over her lips.

Fist pumping, Rune almost shook with barely-contained excitement, raring to go. “What are we waiting for!? Lead the way, Selly! This boutique looks like, so super adorbs!”

…“Super adorbs”?

In the few seconds she was questioning Rune’s curious word usage, Rune and Selphine raced out of sight, the slamming of the storefront door their only giveaway. Not wanting to be left behind, she trailed after them with the composure they were severely lacking.

\--

Several dizzying circles around the boutique later, Ritona’s composure was quickly fading. She watched as Rune and Selphine bounded to and fro, countless hangers holding an eclectic array of styles on both of their arms. They appeared perfectly content with selecting clothes of every pricetag– no matter how outrageous they were. Ritona couldn’t help but shake her head at this frightening frivolity for funds.

After what seemed like an eternity of ransacking the store’s racks, Ritona decided to caution them, “Not to be rude, you two… but do you really think that we can afford to buy a whole wardrobe’s worth of clothes?”

Selphine rolled her eyes, tapping Rune mirthfully as if in on a joke with her. Rune shook with silent laughter, blue-green eyes twinkling, sneaking a peek back at an increasingly confused Ritona.

“What’s so funny?”

Unable to take it anymore, Rune erupted into boisterous laughter, nearly doubling over from the hilarity of her and Selphine’s shared secret. Selphine snorted inwardly, her mouth taut in a twitching straight line.

“S-Sorry, Ritona! It’s just–- ahahaha–- we aren’t going to be buying these clothes! Selly wanted me to model for her!” Rune finally admitted, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

Ritona furrowed her brow, wondering why in the world _Rune_ of all people would want to model clothing. She’s exceptionally beautiful, sure, but never in a million years would she expect her to willingly showcase her body. It just seemed peculiarly out of character.

“Really? Are you certain that you’re not feeling self-conscious about this at all?” she questioned, doubtfulness apparent in her voice. If she wasn’t feeling self-conscious about modeling, then that would be heartening to hear… yet what was this nagging feeling in her gut…?

Tittering airily behind her hand, Rune’s smile stretched ear-to-ear, joy radiating out like beams of sunlight from her face. “Don’t worry yourself so much, Ritona! Selly kind of got me into the idea of modeling, and I just thought, ‘hey, why not try it out’, you know? There’s so many things to experience in this world~!”

Seeing this previously troubled girl whose ardent wish was to explore the world so full of life and vibrant, Ritona couldn’t help but softly smile in return. This very freeze frame in time was the definition of what she wanted. And with that loftily elevating her mind, the persistent nagging feeling no longer drew her attention.

…In hindsight, perhaps that was her first mistake.

“What are we dillydallying for, then!? Get with the program and hurry to those dressing rooms! Princess’s orders!” Selphine crooned, placing hands on both their backs and pushily ushering them to the designated area.

Once an overenthusiastic sales clerk in front of the dressing room waved them over and directed them into a dressing room, Selphine flung the red velvet curtain open with a flourish, the curtain rod rings clacking noisily. She then proceeded to hang up their hangers on hooks embedded into the whitewashed wall, humming a cheery tune as she busied herself.

While Selphine was occupied with the aforementioned task, Rune studied herself in the full-length mirror in front of her, squishing and slapping her cheeks in a slapstick way. Satisfied with the inexplicable assault on her cheeks, she nodded meaningfully, determination palpable in her every move. Before Ritona could ask about her behavior, she spun around, marched over to Selphine, and assessed their selections.

“…Is everything ready?” she asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

Winking, Selphine smiled coyly at Rune, giving her an affirmative thumbs up. Rune breathed a sigh of relief in return, eyes sparkling with renewed vigor.

“Let’s get this show on the road, then~!” Selphine cheered with no regard whatsoever to the shoppers changing adjacent to them.

Within a matter of seconds, the peppy princess switched into personal stylist mode, the outfits she favored the most taken off their hangers and transferred to her right arm. She then shooed Ritona into a compact wooden armchair with burgundy upholstery in the corner of the room, not relenting until her behind was planted firmly on the cushion. Pleased with her handiwork, she turned her undivided attention back to Rune, an award-winning smile on her face.

A whirlwind of peaches and pinks flew before her eyes as Selphine fanned out the first choice. It was a modest dress, nothing too provocative, nor too ostentatious. Ritona didn’t know a great deal about the different designs of dresses, but she wagered that it was fine quality and most likely on the higher end of their budget. That alone was enough to set her cost conscientious self on edge.

Just as she was calculating how much her coin purse would be hurting from buying one, two, or-- Vibaelia forbid–- three dresses, a certain dialogue brought her back to reality.

“-–change in front of her? Selly, I don’t think I can do that-–!”

“Come ooonn, Rune… You pinkie promised that you would do this with me! There’s no backing out of this now! No way, no how!”

Intrigued by their conspicuous conversation, Ritona spoke up from across the room, “…Do you mind filling me in on what you two are talking about?”

Jolting, Rune about leapt out of her skin from her abruptly calling her out, and painstakingly pivoted on her left foot to face her interrogator, a nervous laugh crackling at the back of her throat.

“Wh-Whatever do you mean, Ritona? Selly and I were just discussing… um…” she croaked, miserably trailing off when her ad lib became an ad flub.

Selphine, valiantly coming to the damsel in distress’ rescue, chimed in, “We were discussing whether or not she should try on this lovely pink and peach dress, right, Rune?” Nudging her in the ribs with her elbow, she tried to impress upon Rune that her theatrics couldn’t fail this time– there was too much at stake!

Straightening up like a board, Rune reflexively touched the spot where she had nimbly nudged, dropping her hands when she realized how fishy that would appear. Clearing her throat, she not-so suavely replied, “Y-You’re exactly right, Selly~! I came to the conclusion that the pink and peach palette was just… so last year! A-Ahaha… haaaa.”

While the girls were in the midst of their corny comedy routine, the gears in Ritona’s mind were turning, each mechanical rotation granting her further insight into the odd events of the day. Rune was definitely acting out of the ordinary: check. Selphine was being more assertive than usual: check. Her left completely in the dark as to their plans: check.

Yes, there was no doubt about it. Something that she would come to regret was going to take place right here… in this exceedingly cramped dressing room.

As if the universe was mocking her for being right on the money, Rune squealed in distress upon Selphine thrusting–- wait, was she seeing this correctly!?

“You can’t be serious.” Ritona groaned in disbelief after blinking a few times to confirm this wasn’t a bizarre hallucination.

Selphine grinned smugly, satisfied with the results of what she had effortlessly pulled off. “Oh, but I am serious, my dear Royal Guardian~ You don’t trust the honesty of the 9th Path-Down Successor and soon-to-be Queen of Rughzenhaide?”

This certainly wasn’t a first being on the receiving end of Selphine’s distasteful “jokes”, but this? “Crossing the line” would put it lightly. No… it would be more accurate calling it a declaration of war. That was the extent of how inexcusable and stomach-churning it was.

Not to mention… having Rune model that for her… would have negative connotations, to say the least.

“If this is your bright idea of a 'joke', then you’ll have to scour the kingdom to find someone else to humor you, Selphine. I’m sure Adia would be willing to waive the pharin fare to provide transportation in order for you to recruit some crass comedians like yourself.” she fired back, not withholding any snark.

Channeling all the regal blood coursing through her veins, Selphine stuck out her tongue, defiantly taunting Ritona with with a “bleee~gh” more typical of a royal brat than a royal heiress. Even though this childishness would have undoubtedly made Ritona sentimental on a normal day, this was far removed from a normal day. Just as she was about to deliver another fearsome tongue-lashing, however, the unexpected happened.

“R-Ritona! Please don’t fight with Selly! While she may have originally proposed this idea, I was the one who steeled myself to go through with this–- me! So please…” Rune pleaded, that unmistakable determination in her eyes piercing Ritona’s with crystalline clarity. “…please let me do this!”

Heaving what felt like the heaviest sigh in her admittedly short life, Ritona broke eye contact with the unyielding Rune to behold what could cut her admittedly short life… short. The incriminating piece was scandalously skimpy black lingerie, trimmed with sheer black lace, and hot pink ribbon interweaving throughout the garment. Were it not for how outlandish this ordeal already was, she would have noted the clashing between the primary black and secondary hot pink colors of the lingerie-– hot pink definitely added to its cringeworthy garishness.

“…Fine.” Ritona said begrudgingly, still giving the lingerie the stink eye. “On one condition, though: Selphine leaves the room while you’re modeling that. I, quite frankly, do not trust her to not engage in further shenanigans.”

Just with those words alone, Selphine’s eyes twinkled brighter than the flashiest outfits on display at the store, her smile more dazzling than the most radiant sun. “Consider it a done deal~! Did I ever mention how dashing of a Royal Guardian you are, Ritona? Because you are~!”

With that facetious banter out of the way, Ritona sank further into her seat, arms crossed in indignation as she awaited the inevitable. It's not that she didn't want to see her significant other scantily-clad in lingerie-- which she did-- but _this_? This was not the optimal setting she had in mind when this situation would eventually come to pass. If anything, she would have vastly preferred the cliched romantic route complete with a lovey dovey date, candlelit dinner at an extravagant upscale restaurant, and then if the conditions were favorable... something else could naturally develop. But of course she couldn't have the autonomy over her own love life with Selphine in the picture.

The time seemed to fly by with her brooding clouding the recesses of her psyche, the vibrant, sunshiny clothes Rune trying on before the main event not even slightly parting the dark and angsty clouds. She was just ruminating on which method of karmic punishment she could use as payback for Selphine when she sensed a noticeable shift in the atmosphere again, charged with tension and anticipation alike. Lifting her gaze to the hangers on the metal hook embedded into the wall, her stomach dropped after failing to locate the hanger holding the lingerie.

...Oh, no.

Cautiously chancing a glance to where Rune and Selphine would be standing, the debilitating dread she felt only moments prior returned with a vengeance. Selphine had somehow snuck out of her field of vision while she was brooding to peer at her from behind the dressing room curtain, a snide grin plastered onto her face. Before she could lunge at her with every ounce of visceral virulence instilled in her being, however, she mouthed one last taunt before ducking out of sight:

"Oh, _yes_."

"Ritona?" Rune said gingerly, clutching the lingerie that had brewed a typhoon of turmoil to her chest, "I know that you don't seem comfortable with this arrangement, so I don't have to model... this... in front of you. We can just save it for another day! O-Or not! I'm fine with either one!"

In spite of all the inanity of the day, Ritona couldn't help but chuckle at how unapologetically _Rune_ that Rune was being, leaning forward in her chair to show her interest. "Of course I'm fine with you modeling for me, Rune... The only objection I had was Selphine orchestrating the circumstances of this happening, but I would never miss an opportunity to behold your peerless beauty."

Cheeks burning as red as a tomato-- or a pomegranate, if Selphine were to choose the simile-- Rune covered her face with both her hands, the lingerie dangling in front of her face as a result. "Y-You don't have to overexaggerate for my sake, Ritona...! If anything... y-you're the most beautiful one in this relationship-- no, Rughzenhaide-- no, the universe!"

Getting out of her chair to walk over to Rune, Ritona grabbed one of her hands and pried it away from her reddened face, kissing each of her knuckles with feather-light pecks. "Thank you. But just so you know, my stance isn't going to change on you being the most beautiful being I've laid eyes on, so you should give up trying to convince me otherwise."

"G-Geez, I can't win with you, can I...?" Rune acquiesced meekly, lowering her hands from her face.

"That's right." Ritona replied matter-of-factly as she backed up to return to her seat, "I'm glad that you're finally catching on to how things work around here, Rune."

Giggling like a giddy schoolgirl, Rune's worries seemed to vanish in a flash after the affirmation from Ritona, and she removed the lingerie from the hanger without reluctance. "Thank you for the reassurance, Ritona... I feel like I can conquer anything with you by my side-- even putting on lingerie for the first time~!"

"I wouldn't expect anything less from the girl with firm, unshakable resolve that I fell in love with." Ritona agreed wholeheartedly, about to sit back down until something crucial she overlooked occurred to her, "Before you start changing, Rune... I just wanted to warn you that some finicky clasps on those can be maddeningly hard to get hooked, more so on pieces with manufacturing errors."

Regarding the lingerie with a higher degree of scrutiny after Ritona pointed this out to her, she fumbled with the clasp on the back, the bra accidentally slipping from her fingers and onto the floor in an unceremonious freefall. "O-Oopsie... Guess I'm really not cut out for clasping and unclasping these things after all, huh...? I would probably be in much better hands with you helping me out, Ri--"

Her cheeks flushing several shades of scarlet in a few milliseconds upon realizing what she had insinuated, she opened and closed her mouth repetitively until she settled on bleating at the most earsplitting decibel possible, "N-Nevermind! Just forget that I said anything! I can figure it out myself, okay!? No help needed whatsoever!"

Ritona promptly strode back over to shush her in the blink of an eye, index finger squishing her lips as she wordlessly prayed to every deity that was listening that no one heard a peep of what Rune had bleated out. "You don't need to be embarrassed with me, all right? I know that this is a first for you, and it is for me as well, so we're both novices at this sort of affair. Just relax." With that out of her mouth, she retracted her finger from Rune's lips, breathing a sigh of relief that no one seemed to have heard-- or been bothered-- by Rune's outburst.

Bending over soundlessly to retrieve the bra from its pitiful heap on the floor, she picked it up with a flourish and extended it back to Rune. Once it was reclaimed by its rightful wearer, she rounded behind Rune to unzip the peach and pink dress she had ended up trying last despite it being the second most memorable ensemble of the day, followed by none other than the unbeatable lingerie. Her fingers touched the cool metal of the zipper, involuntarily sending a phantom jolt from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes. As she inched this zipper down-- beyond the point of no return-- her breath hitched in the back of her throat while its downward descent revealed a trail of skin, a sobering reminder of what she had gotten herself tied up into. The tips of her fingers grazed her skin as the zipper reached its destination, goosebumps left in their wake.

Not wasting a single moment, Ritona slipped the dress past the slope of her shoulders, down her arms, and onto the floor effortlessly. A subtle shiver shook Rune's frame after being exposed at her most vulnerable, pastel pink underwear the only barrier between her hands freely roaming the expanse of her bare body. If she could just rearrange the commit of this seemingly unbreakable barrier, she would be able to capture the awe-inspiring artistry of her angelic anatomy with her blistered hands, interlapping her canvas with her own-- but such thoughts had no place in a public dressing room.

Watching as Rune stepped out of the pile of her dress and bent over to pick it up and return it to its hanger, she had to mentally restrain herself from indulging in another inappropriate train of thought, averting her gaze from how her movements could be so graceful yet so seductive... How was she capable of balancing the two extremes so well?

In the midst of her musings, an inquisitive pair of blue-green eyes met her magenta ones, probing deep into her soul and releasing her from the spell of entrancement that had been cast on her.

"Sorry to interrupt you when you're lost in thought, Ritona... but are you ready to help me get changed into the..." Rune trailed off, gaze following suit and trailing down to the lingerie that she was limply holding, "...lingerie?"

Feeling a tad flustered from being caught in the act of fantasizing about her, Ritona cleared her throat, hoping that her cheeks weren't expressing the extent of how defenseless she was. "A-Absolutely. Why don't I go ahead and unclasp the bra you're wearing right now, Rune? That will most certainly speed up the process, wouldn't you think?"

It was directly after those words left her mouth that she had an unnerving revelation: they were both standing in front of the full-length mirror. Why hadn't she perceived this sooner? Were her senses seriously growing so dull as to not detect something as critical as this?

...She was done for.

"Y-You're right, Ritona~! Let's get started then, shall we...?" Rune concurred, demurely pulling her loose hair aside to allow Ritona easier access.

Gulping past her unusually dry throat, she urged her uncooperative hands to advance, her fingers linking around clasps and unhooking them with deft precision. After that obstacle was tackled, her hands meandered up to her bra straps, carefully sliding them down her arms in a fluid, meticulous motion. Tapping into the reserves of her inner self-control, she desperately tried to not lose herself to the unabated sexual tension thick in the air between them. There was no telling how long she would be able to endure this mental warfare.

One quick glance in the mirror was all it took to decide the outcome of the mental warfare waging inside her mind: total defeat.

Rune, becoming acutely aware of the blush beginning to besiege Ritona's cheeks, inclined her head towards her, concern overwriting any embarrassment she was exhibiting in her body language. "Are you okay, Ritona...? You're not getting feverish, are you? We can go home if you're not feeling well enough to--"

"I'm fine, Rune! There's no need to fuss over me! I think... this dressing room might just be a smidgen warm and making me overheated." Ritona bluffed, shuffling over to set the bra haphazardly upon her former seat, "Yes, that's it... It seems like heating and cooling regulations just get more and more lax as time goes on. Shameful, really."

Shrugging at her questionable comeback to her concern, Rune replied after a beat, "Mm, it _does_ feel a little warm in here... but if you do start feeling unwell, you should tell me straight away, okay? Promise me!"

"I promise. Like I said, there's no need to fuss over me, Rune. I do immensely appreciate you being considerate of my wellbeing, though." Ritona said without so much as a quaver in her voice, a remarkable feat for her current level of arousal.

Pepping up proceeding her convincing, Rune's smile reappeared as blindingly bright as ever, oblivious to the lascivious thoughts that were compromising Ritona's need to uphold public decency-- who would want to be labelled a sexual deviant for being unable to restrain yourself in a dressing room, after all? That would be not only humiliating, but your reputation would take quite the battering as well.

"All right! How about we get back on track then, Ritzy~?" Rune playfully teased, attempting to lighten the mood with a lighthearted reference to a nickname that Ritona never took much of a liking to. Not simply because it was a nickname that could coax a stutter or two out of her, but... whenever it was said with that irresistible lilt to her voice, she could feel the last dregs of her sanity slipping away thanks to unknowing siren's song.

"Yes... Let's get back on track." Ritona repeated as if in a trance, tuning the cacophonous chorus of intrusive and unhelpful thoughts out with pronounced difficulty. She urged herself to focus on anything else-- absolutely anything-- that would save her from the overbearing implications of taking part in this lamentable affair. This scrambling for a distraction afforded her nothing but lost time and Rune fidgeting cutely in the mirror, which was not alleviating her current ailment in the slightest.

Figuring that she had left her waiting long enough, she snaked her arms around Rune's torso while holding the bra, gently guiding the straps up her arms and to her shoulders. Her fingers then fastened the clasp in a cinch, making Ritona feel awfully foolish for having lust take the reins in lieu of logic. That was to be expected when the confines of the dressing room subjected her to being in close quarters with Rune, just the two of them, lingerie their only boundary. Well, that and the dressing room itself.

Pausing to admire Rune's figure that had been accentuated by the lingerie, her roving gaze lingered on her bodacious bosom and captivating curves, coming to a halt at her pastel pink panties. Hurriedly blinking to cut the reverie short, she tersely reminded herself that this was not the time nor place to be fantasizing. She was to assist Rune in changing and watch her model. That was all. Period.

"Ehehe... What do you think, Ritona? Any words come to mind seeing me wear something like this for the first time?" Rune goaded, outwardly pleased with the results she yielded from tackling the challenge of wearing lingerie.

There were many, many words that Ritona could employ to describe just what she thought of seeing Rune in such revealing attire, but those words were strictly prohibited here. Instead, she settled on using more socially acceptable words. "Hmm... 'Beautiful' would be one, 'stunning' another, and... oh! How about 'ravishing'? Yes, I do believe that 'ravishing' is the most fitting to epitomize your sway on my emotions."

Clearly taken aback by Ritona's barrage of compliments, Rune's mouth was agape in a vacant 'o', her mind doing somersaults to try and process what had been said. Once it seemed to register, she instantaneously devolved into a sputtering, discombobulated mess, flailing her hands around in frantic circles.

"Wh-Wh-What? You-- You can't be serious, right? I'm the polar opposite of ravishing! More like, um..." a prolonged silence to recall the correct vocabulary, and then with great oomph, "...mediocre! There's no way anyone could derive any pleasure from a mediocre model like me!"

If Selphine was still present in this room right now and able to perform a Mind Dive on her, Rune would realize just how wrong her prior statement was. Ritona was well aware that Rune was a modest girl-- painfully so-- but she wished that she would come to terms with the fact that there wasn't a single flaw in her construction. Her body and personality have both worked in tandem against her to drive her into a corner, the silky smoothness of her skin or the dulcet tones of her voice only two elements that kept her occupied late at night. There were few things she wouldn't forfeit just to bring her fantasies into fruition.

...But she digressed.

"You shouldn't be so self-deprecating, Rune... 'Mediocre' isn't befitting of you in the least." Ritona chided, poking her cheek from behind. "Instead, why don't you learn to accept compliments when they're given to you? That would be much more beneficial to your self-confidence than chronic self-deprecation ever would."

Laughing quietly to herself, Rune's face glowed with limitless love for her, spinning around with her arms crossed behind her back. "Somehow you always know the right words to say, Ritona... You never cease to amaze me."

Without warning she was engulfed by an all-encompassing wave of love, the familiar lips of the person she cherished the most moving adoringly, almost achingly, against her own. Eyelids falling shut halfway through the spontaneous kiss, she held her in a strong embrace despite the tempting press of breasts lowering her inhibitions. Although she was desperate to take this exchange to the next level, she kept her cool by admonishing herself again that this was a public dressing room, not her bedroom. Forcing herself to pull back after one last chaste peck, she bumped foreheads tenderly with Rune.

"I could say the same to you." Ritona whispered, cupping her cheek and stroking calming circles with the pad of her thumb.

Just as the lovebirds were lost in a realm reserved solely for the two of them, an incoming commkravte call cut their rendezvous short. Ritona resisted the urge to groan, because _of course_ there would be interference on one of her rare days off from juggling her Substitute CLOQKS Instructor and Royal Guardian duties... This was on the verge of becoming a running gag.

"Yes? Reighnvhasta speaking." she answered in her trained voice of amicability, not too curt nor too informal.

There was a contemplative lapse on the other end of the call-- perhaps ascertaining whether or not they've contacted their recipient at an inopportune time-- before the articulate, unfaltering voice of someone she was well-acquainted with came on the line.

"...Reighnvhasta." Lhora said her surname in place of a greeting, an unchanging conversation opener ever since her first enlistment in CLOQKS as a trainee, "I apologize for contacting you on your much-deserved day off, but I just received word that there's an urgent meeting that I must attend. And as I'm sure you're aware... this meeting is going to conflict with my proctoring of the battlekravting exam."

...The battlekravting exam. That specific exam was only scheduled twice a year, its purpose being the assessment of everything the trainees learned in their tireless study and execution of battlekravte. Ergo, it was an important exam that decided if they were ready to graduate from the bottom of the CLOQKS totem pole.

"I see... So I assume that you're wanting me to be the stand-in proctor for you?" Ritona asked, even though she knew the answer. It was plain common sense to have your Substitute CLOQKS Instructor oversee the exam for you so you wouldn't have to go through the rigmarole of rescheduling. This was easy for anyone to understand, but... that didn't make putting a lid on her libido any easier.

"That's correct." Lhora replied as predicted, much to Ritona's chagrin. "Would you be willing to do this for me? The battlekravting exam begins in about an hour."

Futilely glancing back at Rune, she bit her bottom lip in frustration. Accepting this request would mean that there would be no escalation of their exchange until another indefinite opportunity arose, and if she rejected this request... Well, she personally wouldn't want to irk Lhora beyond the point of no return. That was a scary thought she didn't wish to entertain.

She breathed in slowly through her nose... then took the plunge.

"I accept." Ritona said in a firm and unflinching way, feeling like she just accepted the death penalty instead of the proctoring penalty. "Will the exam be held in the main courtyard as per usual?"

"Yes, it will be held in the main courtyard." Lhora confirmed bereft of any unnecessary details. Her voice then shifted into a gentler, more affable tone, "Thank you for accepting my abrupt request, Reighnvhasta. It's much appreciated, especially when you're sacrificing quality time spent with your lover."

"Wha--" Ritona interjected, or was about to, before the commkravte call ended with zero closure.

Rune quirked an eyebrow, puzzled as to what had Ritona in such a tizzy. "Um... Is something the matter?"

Indeed, everything was the matter. First she was dragged into an uncomfortable situation against her will, and just when she was starting to warm to the idea of Rune modeling lingerie, her overlying obligation to proctor an exam took precedence. There would be nary a person that wouldn't be predisposed to misanthropy after the unfortunate chain of events that dominated her life. If there existed someone who was robust enough to withstand the inordinate inanities that she had withstood, it would be no hyperbole to label it a miracle.

"...Lhora called. I'm going to have to proctor the battlekravter exam in about an hour due to her being summoned to an 'urgent meeting', or so she said." Ritona announced with no deficit of disappointment.

Visibly deflating, Rune sadly cast her gaze to the floor, her efforts to stay upbeat in spite of this setback unsuccessful. She reluctantly stepped away from Ritona, unable to repress her mutual disappointment.

"A-Ah, I see... Well, you shouldn't dawdle around here with me, then! I'll go look for Selly... and, um..." she seemed entrapped in a game of verbal ping pong against herself before she scored the right words again, "...Oh, yeah! You don't have to worry about footing the bill for any of the clothes or anything, because Selly told me that she would cover the cost of whatever I took a liking to. So you can leave in confidence!"

Covering the cost of clothes was probably the last thing on her mind presently, but it did lift the weight of capitalism off her shoulders for the time being. Her coin purse wouldn't have to be in critical condition after all.

"Duly noted. Here's to hoping that Selphine keeps her end of the bargain on that one, hmm?" Ritona joked, but the joke wasn't going to be a joke for long if she didn't cough up the cash.

Remembering that she was scheduled to proctor in less than an hour now, she would have to bid farewell to the unforgettable image of Rune in lingerie. Though, if she was being honest with herself, a revisitation to that image could be highly likely in the near future. Yes... that much was for certain.

Trudging over to the exit, Ritona looked back at Rune one more time to ensure that the image was committed to memory, and then waved with an ambiguous smile. "I'll see you later, Rune. Thank you for working up the courage to model for me, and..." she blew a kiss to Rune, who promptly caught it in a flurried and exaggerated motion, "...I love you."

"I-I love you, too!" Rune reciprocated earnestly, her hands still clasped around the imaginary kiss that flew through the air to her.  
"Come home soon, okay? I'll be waiting!"

Parting the curtain of the dressing room just enough to squeeze past, she replied with affection abound, "I can't make any promises, but I do promise to try to make it home as soon as I feasibly can."

"It's a promise!" she exclaimed, beaming ear-to-ear and basking the vicinity in her overabundant joy and jubilance.

If it weren't for her preoccupation of proctoring at CLOQKS, she would have strode back over to her and peppered her adorable face in kisses without qualms; but since she was on a tight schedule, that would have to be postponed.

It was with a heavy heart that she departed from Rune's company, the vibrant splashes of color displayed in the clothes of the boutique paling in comparison to her inner radiance. She weaved through motley throngs of people on her way to CLOQKS, yet none were the unique, sparkling diamond in the rough that was Rune. There was such a profound sense of appreciation she felt when she was with her. Perhaps that appreciation stemmed from the fact that if her vectrakravte hadn't diverted to the other side of the planet and landed them in Vhastoralkat instead, they would have never met her.

A life without Rune... What would that be like?

The unmistakable architecture of the CLOQKS building coming into view forbade her from reflecting more on that humbling topic. She filed away all distracting thoughts for perusal later, and rewired her brain to concentrate strictly on work. Self-discipline still seemed to be her forte, despite the... _hiccups_ from earlier in the afternoon. Now that Rune was out of sight, out of mind, she was better equipped to professionally handle every hurdle that hampered her productivity.

Speaking of hurdles... where was her instructor uniform?

Crossing her arms and sighing heavily upon realizing that she still needed to climb up all those flights of stairs to change in the locker room, it dawned on her: this was not going as smoothly as she originally hoped.

\--

She was exhausted.

When she had signed up to proctor the battlekravting exam, she didn't think that it would have drained so much of her energy to make sure that rambunctious rugrats didn't end up killing each other with misfired kravte. "Proctoring" was an inaccurate description of what the job entailed; it would have been exceptionally more accurate to describe it as "babysitting". Yes... she really had to hand it to Lhora for not only babysitting those pipsqueaks, but shaping them into competent battlekravters who could hold their own in a fight.

Rubbing her face, Ritona pushed open the wooden door to her house, the thought of her comfortable bed encouraged her to climb up yet _another_ blasted flight of stairs to her bedroom. Locking the door before she hiked up the grueling mountain of stairs, she was soon struck with the notion that something was... amiss.

"Rune?" her voice reverberated throughout the evidently empty house, its echo returning no chipper response. Taking a few furtive steps past the foyer, she searched for any sign of her, but nothing particularly stood out. Strange.

Reckoning that she must have gotten wrapped up in more of Selphine's shenanigans, she figured that she would take a nap while she waited for her to get back. There was nothing better to do, and she could definitely use the energy boost from a good old fashioned power nap.

The enticing idea of drifting off to sleep spurring her to hike up the stairs, Ritona crossed the room, careful not to bump into any of the glass articles strewn around her living quarters, and proceeded the taxing ascent to the second floor. Her black leather boots caused the rickety stairs to creak from bearing her weight, the sound equally grating and annoying. Against all odds, she surpassed the stairway, haphazardly kicking off her boots and padding to her bed with the gait of a zombie. She then flopped face-forward onto the bed and grappled for a pillow, muffling a scream into its soothing fluffiness.

What would you know? Screaming into a pillow _did_ help to relieve stress. She would have to thank Adia for the valuable information later.

Rolling onto her backside, she placed the pillow underneath her head, then folded her hands atop her stomach. She was too tired to pull down her covers, so she would just sleep on top of them this time. No harm done in breaking a couple inconsequential rules every so often, right?

She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, hoping to lull her body into sleep by this practiced method of relaxation. Seconds... minutes... what seemed like hours passed before she got fed up with trying to take that power nap. Opening her eyes, she listened intently for any noises coming from downstairs, but concluded that she was still alone in the house.

Her fingers brushed against the buttons closest to her collar, curling hesitantly before she could unbutton them. It was no secret-- except to Rune-- that she had unfinished business from earlier, yet there was one restrictive roadblock preventing her from finishing it: when was Rune going to be home? Without the answer to that question, would it be safe to expose herself?

After an ephemeral interlude to mull over those concerns, she made her decision.

Unbuttoning her white blouse with conviction, she fanned both sides apart, revealing her baby blue bra and the silky expanse of her skin. Ever so delicately, her fingers glided downward to her stomach, lingering for a moment before trailing back up to her bra. She could practically _feel_ her pent-up inhibitions begging for a release, which only served to hasten her movements. Delving her fingers under the cups of her bra, Ritona tentatively-- almost experimentally-- kneaded her breasts, shuddering slightly from the sensation it evoked.

How would it feel if Rune were here to fondle her instead? Would she caress her gently until she was a mewling mess, trembling and twitching from finally, _finally_ being touched in such a way by her characteristically demure lover? Would her hands sculpt her sensitive self into submission, sweeping the swaths of her skin until her back arched from submerging into the sheer sexuality of the act? Would she coax a climax out of her with deft fingering only that of an automaton could possess, hitting her in all the right areas with dexterous precision?

Biting her bottom lip, she massaged her breasts more strongly, relinquishing the pretenses that she clung to like a lifeline in the dressing room earlier. Now that she was alone and in the safety of her own bedroom, no semblance of control needed to be retained. In this solitary sanctuary she could truly be liberated, in every sense of the word. Yes... even though Rune was not here to perform the perversions that were piling up in her mind, she could just manifest a mental version of her to do so. That was all that mattered..

Another shiver shook her body as her fingertips prodded her nipples with inept and inexperienced insistence, mimicking Rune's typical touch. Her fingers swirled around and teased the pink nubs, squeezing them to conform into a hardened state. Ritona always was a proponent of unconventional kravtes, so she made use of her aptitude for pyro to heat up her fingertips, adding a sinfully sensuous flair to the already irresistible contact. The heat was near catatonic, yet enlivening as well... It was quite a curious sensation.

Putting the fundamentals of the psychological effect of pyro aside, she soon became _tortuously_ aware of the desire that was mounting southward, twinging impatiently and requiring her relief. Not wishing to prolong the pleading any more, she slipped her fingers out from beneath her bra, meandering down to her destination. She then popped the button of her black slacks out of its hole, latching onto the waistband of her underwear and lifted it up. And, without further ado, "getting heated" ceased being an overstatement-- everything was literally ablaze.

Warmth enveloped her from every conceivable angle. Sparks flew before her very eyes as she toed the line between morality and immorality, her heart hammering away in resonance with the titillating tingles that rippled throughout her being. She couldn't think straight, nor did she want to. There, in the enclosed haven of her bedroom, an insatiable blaze razed her core, its flames licking the innermost reaches of her muliebrity.

"Nn--!" Ritona swallowed the vestiges of a moan, each languid stroke enough to drive her mad. Gratifying as it was to pleasure herself, there still lurked a yearning for Rune to be the instigator of these ministrations, to ravish her until she couldn't speak. Images of Rune straddling her wearing nothing other than the black lingerie flitted through her mind, encouraging her to quicken her pace. Her cherry red lips, glistening with their shared saliva, would kiss her senseless, leaving behind imprints of her love: hickeys. The mere thought of having hickeys in a spot that would be nigh impossible to conceal rocked her with a shockwave of pleasure.

Panting heavily, Ritona could tell that the coalescing of pyro and her nimble handiwork were, in retrospect, a _tad_ overkill. Judging by how slick her fingers were becoming and the aphrodisiac-like haze encroaching upon her, she was almost at her limit. Her legs twitched from the heightening pressure, and she thrust her fingers back inside her entrance more forcefully with the intention of finishing the job, rhythmically penetrating herself. Bucking her hips upward, she tried to maximize the contact, feeling a white-hot sensation take root in her core--

...Something wasn't right.

A pair of eyes peered at her through the marginal crack in the door, trained on the writhing body that was lying on the bed. Their gaze was conflicted, a roiling river of blue-green, wandering indecisively over the defenseless Ritona, unable to reach a consensus on what to do. Without room for debate, the conclusion was settled for her as soon as they made the fatal error of meeting Ritona's gaze-- they were effectively caught in the spider's web.

"A-Ah, um, err--" Rune stammered, trying to look anywhere but her disheveled and unkempt girlfriend, "S-S-Sorry, I didn't mean to--! I--! Gaaah--!"

This definitely was the worst case scenario, but Ritona didn't have the leisure of lambasting herself for her own fallacious reasoning now. She had more pressing matters at hand...

"Rune, please... come here." she beseeched, beckoning her over with the finger that had been the instrument conducting her fantasies until the curtain rose for the main act.

Her pupils growing as wide as saucers, Rune treaded into the lion's den, closing the door gingerly behind her. Confronted with this conundrum before her, the convicted automaton was at a loss for what approach to take. Her resolve ebbed and flowed like the unpredictable tide, leaving her adrift to tether herself to some semblance of stability. There would be no turning back if she washed ashore onto the immaculate island that was Ritona. She, the sea, and her, the moon, would be seamlessly magnetized to one another.

When Rune sidled over to the edge of where Ritona laid, she motioned for her to come into closer proximity, and she obliged by bending over her fervid form. A simper danced gaily on her lips, something that would _definitely_ make Rune melt into a puddle brewing in her mind. Eager to make the best of this once-in-a-lifetime chance, she grabbed her clammy hand, linking their fingers together. She then retracted their fingers-- much to Rune's obvious dismay-- and inserted her index and middle fingers into her mouth, licking them while getting front row seats to her internally combusting.

"Wh-Wha--! Ritona, please don't do that...! It makes me feel all..." Rune shivered from the dizzying distraction of Ritona's tongue swirling around her fingers, feeling as if she were going to shut down entirely. "...weird."

Removing her fingers from her mouth once they were sufficiently wet, she chuckled, her eyes flashing dangerously at Rune. "It's not like we haven't done this before... What are you getting so embarrassed about?"

Inhaling sharply, Rune recalled exactly the incriminating instance that she was referencing. Ritona had meticulously explored her body and its countless complexities that night, and through trial and error, had made her come undone. And now... the sides have been reversed. Despite her nerves being frayed from the possibility of not living up to Ritona's expectations, Rune ignored the jitters, and committed herself to the task. There would be no wasting this serendipitous moment of deja vu.

Spreading her two wet fingers apart, Rune felt an inexplicable feeling course through her at the sight of the saliva glistening on them. Could it be devilishness, mischievousness? No... it was something else altogether. Perhaps it was due to the prospect of her ministrations bringing her to the edge, a string of muffled curses exiting those pretty lips, and she would ask her to let her hear her voice-- the voice of the charming and chivalric Royal Guardian that stole her heart.

Smiling sweetly down at her, the jitters that jeopardized her performance faded away, and Rune was more determined than ever to make this a smashing success. "You're right." she replied, flexing her fingers in an experimental fashion. "Why don't I return the favor, then?"

A sentimental smile tugging at her lips, Ritona had to stop to wonder how she could have won the lottery of love with Rune. She reached up and guided her down onto the bed, situating her on top of her so that she was straddling her hips similar to as she did in her former fantasy. Provided with a frontal view of Rune and all her... _assets_... she was astounded by how such a perfect partner could have been dropped into her lap. She could seriously marry this woman.

"I'd love that." Ritona affirmed, locking her arms around her neck and pulled her in for a long, affectionate kiss-- one that she solemnly swore upon to take Rune's hand in marriage someday.

The primarily affectionate kiss soon segued into a comparatively amoral kiss, their tongues meeting each other in a sloppy caress. They couldn't contain the moans that soon spilled over their lips unbidden, a welcomed change from the publicity of the dressing room. In the middle of this impassioned intersection, Rune's fingers trailed down to Ritona's bra, cupping one of her breasts through the encumbrance. Ritona then broke the kiss with a salacious smirk, her cheeks ignited with the red-hot embers of their exchange.

"Do you need help with that, Rune?" she questioned more rhetorically than anything, propping herself up on her elbows so the bra clasps would be easily accessible to her.

Rune, without further prompting, snaked her hand around the back of Ritona and unclasped her bra. Ritona then assisted her in discarding the remainder of her upper garments, taking off her blouse and bra simultaneously, tossing them carelessly onto the floor. With that dirty deed done, she laid back down on the bed.

Licking her lips where the evidence of their kiss shimmered, Ritona cocked her head to the side in feigned naivete. "Seeing that my upper half is completely nude now... what's your next plan of attack?"

Even without her implicit instigation, Rune knew what she was going to do next. She placed her hands over her unattended breasts-- slowly, calculatedly-- massaging them, drawing upon experience from when Ritona did this to her. The silky softness of her breasts underneath her palms awakened a strange feeling inside of herself, as did the adorable squirming of Ritona whenever she flicked her nipples in another direction. Against her usual disposition when it came to these things, a need to dominate Ritona bubbled up from within, scalding and insistent. This was a matter she could not ignore.

A concrete plan concocting in her mind, Rune shimmied Ritona's slacks down past her knees, leaving behind her untouched baby blue panties. She traced the waistband of them, not failing to hear the hitch of breath it elicited. Then, without further delay, she dragged her fingers down to the moist fabric of her crotch, rubbing her through the detriment.

“Rune...” Ritona murmured, watching her with a half-lidded gaze. She rutted herself against her fingers, the friction building an undeniable pressure within herself once more. Before she capitulated to the overbearing need for release, there was something that she wanted, something that she _desired_ more than anything else. And that was...

"I want to feel all of you."

This confession startled Rune so much that she stopped completely, her mouth hanging open, and gaped in disbelief at her. It was as if time came to a standstill, suspended between the two of them. She didn't know what to think-- or more importantly, where to even look at Ritona. Everywhere was the danger zone, and she was the unfortunate scout that tripped on a landmine. This was really, really, _really_ bad.

"Wh-What do you... mean?"

Chuckling, Ritona smiled wryly, hooking her thumbs around the waistband of her panties and tugging them down. Once that was out of the way, she licked her index and middle fingers and positioned them in front of her entrance. Locking eyes with an extraordinarily flustered Rune, she slipped her fingers inside her lubricated folds, putting on a performance just for the spectator on top of her. Moaning merely to get a reaction out of her, she couldn't control the smugness she felt from seeing its success.

"This is what I mean." she answered, overt confidence in her every move. "Do you get the picture?"

Honestly, Rune didn't get the picture. She could more or less understand what Ritona wanted her to do in theory, sure; but putting it into practice? That was a whole other story. Not to mention, she started to subconsciously view the spectacle in slow motion, which was... _very_ bad. The mesmerizing arch of Ritona's back, her labored breathing, the slight bob of her breasts from her squirming... All of these odds were stacked up against her, and she was on the losing side.

Resigning herself to her fate, Rune surrendered her crippling doubt and regained her unwavering confidence, pinning Ritona with a smoldering gaze. In a single swift swoop, she crashed her lips against Ritona's, mimicking the deft tongue movements that she had used on her so many times before. They barely paused for breath as they clashed over and over again, a headiness impairing them like a thick and syrupy fog. Rune could scarcely summon the will to think straight anymore-- no, she couldn't summon the will. This was too much of a sensory overload for her to handle.

"R-Rune, I... please..." Ritona whimpered between kisses, saliva-- _their_ saliva-- coating her swollen lips, "...I need you..."

"Shh, it'll be okay, Ritona..." Rune consoled her, swiping the pad of her thumb across her slippery bottom lip, "I'll take care of you."

Guilt prickling at her for stretching this on a bit too long, she withdrew from being face-to-face with Ritona, scooting back to be in the optimal spot for what was to come. Rune took one last glance at the indecent state that Ritona was in, painstakingly roaming every inch of her beautiful body with an increased framerate. Even though she could admire her body in stagnated time forever, Rune returned to normal processing, ghosting her fingers along the sensitive flesh of her inner thighs. Not wanting to tease her a second more, Rune readied herself for the grande finale.

It happened in an instant. Her fingers were enveloped by an overwhelming warmth, leaving her breathless. As soon as she entered her, Ritona let loose an unrepressed moan, grabbing a fistful of the bedspread. Rune had hardly began to pleasure her until Ritona seized the reins, riding her fingers in earnest. Struggling to keep up with her breakneck pace, Rune instead opted to rhythmically rub her clit.

Jerking her legs from the motion, Ritona turned her head to the side, chest heaving and eyes clouded over with ravenous lust. She could feel waves of intense heat washing over her, radiating from her very core. One more thrust and she would be at her limit.

"Nn... Rune, I'm--" she gasped, trying to retain this high for as long as possible, despite the inevitability of her climax a hair's breadth away.

"Ritona..." Rune dragged her name out, her voice sensuous yet composed, "...You don't need to hold on any longer. Let go for me, all right? I love you."

Those magic words were the incantation she needed to lose herself. She gave into the tingly shockwaves buffeting her relentlessly, squeezing her eyes shut as the as her climax reached its crescendo. The assault soon started to abate, however, and Ritona laid there motionless for a moment, basking in the soothing afterglow. It was a kind of peace that a person could only dream of attaining, something that transcended any monetary value or concept of time. That dream was made a reality, though... thanks to Rune.

Languidly blinking her eyes open, she was pleased to catch a glimpse of Rune staring down at her, a blush dusting her cheeks. Defying how Rune would ordinarily behave, she didn't shout in embarrassment, nor did she backpedal away from her. Instead, there was a brilliant smile that adorned her face; it was a smile that could light up the whole room. She beamed at her so radiantly that all Ritona could do was smile gently at her in return.

"I did it, huh?" Rune said as more of a statement than a question, relief and glee harmonizing in her voice. She leaned over to tuck a lock of hair behind Ritona's ear, humming to herself.

Nuzzling into Rune's tender touch, Ritona grabbed her hand, placing soft kisses on her knuckles. "Yes, you did. I'm very proud of you."

The two soaked in this bliss for a while until a loud yawn from Ritona broke the spell, the exhaustion from earlier in the evening resurfacing with a vengeance. She stretched her arms above her head and allowed her weary body to melt into the mattress, tiredness tugging at her eyelids. Patting the spot next to her on the bed, she strongly suggested that she wanted Rune by her side, too spent to vocalize it.

Even without going through the trouble of telling her, Rune could deduce what Ritona was hinting at. Dismounting Ritona's lap, she rolled over and laid down beside her, snuggling her face into the crook of her neck.

"Is this what you wanted?" Rune asked quietly against her soft skin, the reverberations lulling her into a deeper calm than before.

Nodding, Ritona expended the scant remnants of her energy to draw Rune closer to her, wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. This warmth enveloping her was the infallible proof that she truly was _alive_. With that warmth granting her peace of mind as her eyelids fell shut, she murmured one last thing to the beautiful girl cuddling her, unconcealed love in each sleepy syllable:

"Of course. You're all I ever wanted, Rune."

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to send all formal complaints to ritzyvhasta on Tumblr for tarnishing fault with smut. If you'd like to see more of this content, uhhhHHHH... you're out of luck. :^(


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